st of several
churches, surrounded by a high wall, with many towers and a few pieces
of ordnance, having all the appearance of a fortress.

As usual, the churches were greatly ornamented with pictures and
gilding, but the most attractive part of the Russian service is the
singing, particularly at the Vespers, when the boys taking the soprano
parts, accompanied by some most extraordinary deep bass tones of the
men, swelling and filling the entire cathedral; all this, with
occasional recitations from their sacred books, without any knowledge of
their contents, excited in us the most serious and delightful
sensations. There were about a dozen priests engaged in the various
ceremonies, and the service was continued nearly three hours for the
benefit of five or six worshippers.

In this country are two immense foundling hospitals. The one we visited
at Moscow is said to receive annually upwards of 25,000 children.

The upper part of this immense building is appropriated to the infants
and nurses, of each of which there are always 600, besides about 5,000
sent out to nurse in the adjoining villages.

They were all in uniform--dark cotton gowns and white aprons. All bowed
as we went down the line. The next suite of rooms was occupied by
children from four to seven years of age. The elder ones were in the
schoolrooms.

Having seen various parts of the establishment, we were shown into the
office where the infants are first received. The books were kept in
excellent order, and the number of clerks proved that there was a good
deal of business to be done.

When a child is brought the first question is, is it baptized? If not,
the chaplain is called, and the child is taken into an adjoining room,
where there is a small oratory and font. It is then taken back to the
officer, and his name and number, with date of admission, entered in the
books. A corresponding ticket was tied round its neck, and a duplicate
given to the woman who had brought him. By the presentation of this
ticket the child might be claimed at any future time. It is then carried
into another room, well washed, dressed in his little uniform, and
fetched by a nurse from the upper storey.

Though called a foundling hospital, it is in reality a general
receptacle for all children, who are received up to a certain age,
without exception, it being left entirely to the option of the parent to
state their names and condition, and to contribute or not, to the future